Torture or Trickery
by asterphoenix247
Summary: Loki, prince of Asgard, knows something Steve Rogers doesn't. the Winter Soldier. and all Steve wants to do it find him. Really bad summary believe me its better inside. Takes place during the avengers movie.


It all ended when Steve Rogers took the first step. A step toward mischief. A step that had opened doors that had been closed since the end of the Second Great War. A step that would change S.H.I.E.L.D history, for the better and worse.

When Steve Rogers took that first step into the room he was in hell. The room that had been built to hold one of their own was illuminated with a dim green light. From the footage Steve had seen since he had gotten aboard the ship, he knew the room wasn't suppose to hold that color but he was sure it had something to do with the man inside that made the color radiate off the walls.

Loki, of Asgard. the only essence that stood between the Avengers and the Tesseract was this man. This cruel and mysterious being. No one understood why capturing Loki was as easy as it had been but the other avengers suspected it had something to do with Loki's plan. He must have made it easy for a reason. But for what reason, none of them could explain.

When Steve walked into the room he wasn't captured by fear. No. He wasn't afraid of Loki and he wasn't afraid of what Nick Fury would do if he found him talking to the captured man, but he had to do something. No one was bothering to integrate the captured man and what Steve needed now was information.

When Steve first laid a foot into the room Loki was sitting. Silently. Black leather and hair pressed against the glass as Loki sat, his back facing the first Avenger.

"Well isn't it the Captain." the sound of Loki's accented tongue slithered through the walls of his dungeon.

He finally turned around his legs hung slenderly over one another, his sharp eyes wrapping itself around the captain.

He really did look as though he were a god. A prince even. His milky white complexion indicated he must have not spend much time in the outdoors, and his lengthened back indicated good posture probably from having to sit that way many time in front of royal guests.

Loki held himself to the highest demeanor. Even Steve could tell from just the way he sat that he looked ask himself better than the human that roamed the earth. It was nothing like the way Thor seemed to do so.

Steve cleared his throat and approached the glass container, his heels beating like a heart as he made it to the other man.

"Listen up Loki. I've got a few questions about the Tesseract."

Steve tried to take everything by the book. He was going to integrate Loki and he was going to do it the right way. Just from the war alone, Steve found out he had a way with words. He knew how to extract information from people, the good way.

The moment the word Tesseract came out of Steve's mouth a delicate smirk fixed itself onto Loki's lips.

"Of course… anything for America's _first_ hero." he sang. Yet again his accent strummed through his words in such a delicate manner that it was as though his voice alone could carry a feather.

Steve wasn't going to let this catch him off guard. He was simply trying to distract him and to get him to focus on anything other than the Tesseract.

"Where are you keeping the Tesseract?" He questioned getting straight to business.

The smirk that was etched onto the man's face didn't fade.

"Like I've already told Thor... I have no idea where the Tesseract has been sent off to."

Steve Rogers took the moment to stare at the man. He could see the fire light in the other mans eyes. Was he lying? No...yes? He couldn't tell. From the look on Loki's face it was impossible to know for sure but knowing the man's streak there was a good shot the God of Mischief was trying to pull one on him.

He chose not to yell. No. That would get him nowhere. In fact Loki would have probably gotten a kick out of it more than he should have.

Steve inched closer to the glass.

"Well you must have some idea."

Loki remained as silent as a snake ready to attack its prey. Venom seeped through his eyes as a slow mischievous grin over took his senses. Chuckles escaped his lips, the noise echoing through the complex. The laughs were not that of stereotypical evil gestures but of that of pure amusement.

Steve could feel himself falling for the divine grace in Loki's laughter. Sure Loki wasn't the god Steve believed in but damn, he sure seemed to hold a piece of heaven.

"What's so funny?"

"Just your priorities. I would have thought that you out of all people would be focusing your time on the Russian's instead of the Tesseract."

Steve knew he was still pretty new to this whole" new time period" thing, but from what he remembered, the United States had nothing against the Russian's. He couldn't see why Loki would try to distract him with such a pathetic target yet the honesty in Loki's eyes told him more than he ever wanted to see.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh," the heaviness in Loki's accent lingered heavily on that one word. Was he messing with him? Yes...maybe?

Loki sure seemed to get a kick out of the whole thing. His body seemed to extend even more as his delight grew. The snakes were coming back and they were getting ready to bit Steve in the ass.

"Did Agent Romanoff not tell you?"

"Tell me what." Steve spat.

He was getting a kick out of this one. It was written all over Loki's face. He was taunting him. Damn it. This was not how the interrogation was supposed to go. Steve was supposed to have the upper hand but he could see now that that wasn't the case anyone.

"Of course she wouldn't tell you, it's her big secret isn't it? Well that, and what happened in Budapest with Agent Barton."

Steve knew he was in some deep shit. Not only did Loki know something involving him but he knew too much about Natasha as well, things that would come and haunt her if anyone else were to find out. Still curiosity killed him. What on earth was Loki talking about?

"Tell me what you're talking about."

"Best not, Agent Romanoff _must_ have a reason for not telling you."

He was a tease, more of a tease than a beautiful blonde haired woman in a bar trying to get a man to buy her a drink. Yet he was in control. Control of the situation more than Steve would have liked. He was like the essence of creation and in the most ultimate position a person could have been in.

Steve knew when he was beat. Beat to the point where any effort would only put him in a position of inferiority. Pressing Loki any further would have been suicide and would get nothing done toward the initial interrogation.

The captain spun on the ball of his foot and headed toward the doors of the room. His heels yet again echoed forming the rapid pounds of heart beats in the distance. As Steve made it to the door the sound of air whipping shot past him.

"James Barnes."

The name made him freeze. Freeze the same way he had in the ice only a year earlier. Steve's head, shot toward Loki.

"What did you just say?"

The devil continued to smirk.

"Didn't you hear me? James Barnes. Winter Soldier."

"What do you know about Bucky?"

The smirk. The never ending grin on Loki's face covered his entire being. It was a taunt. A taunt that held even greater value than anything Steve had ever seen.

"I'm a god captain, I know everything." He was allowing his silky words linger in Steve's ear. For the first time since Steve had entered the room, Loki rose. His height let him stand tall against the other man yet the smirk never left the mans face. "I know everything about him. His supposed death, the Russian's, and _especially_ his interactions with Agent Romanoff."

"Stop fooling around Loki!" Steve yelled.

"Just because I'm the god of mischief doesn't mean I _can't_ tell the truth."

Steve froze. With hat he lost it. Any sense of order Steve had held on to had been chucked out the window and forgotten. He marched out of the room in search for Natasha. He needed answers and reliable answer in that matter.

It wasn't very hard to find Natasha. She stood in silence watching over Doctor Banner as he conducted his work. To his surprise, Stark wasn't aiding his fellow scientist. He must have found someone else to bother.

As soon as he could, he grabbed Natasha's attention and asked for a moment of her time. Steve led her to an abandoned room, leaving the Doctor to work on locating the Tesseract. When they made it to the room, Natasha found a spot near the window that out looked the free sky they were gliding in. The sun beamed off of her crimson hair as her majestic green eyes found the Captain's.

"Is there something wrong?" She questioned.

"I just went down to interrogate Loki and he says you may know something about a man by the name of James Barnes."

Her once friendly and poetic demeanor vanished. Her body stiffened and his brows fell. Even her body seemed to warp in its friendliness. She crossed her arms over her small frame giving herself a serious look

"You went to interrogate Loki _alone_ you should have-"

"Well do you know him?"

"James?" Her voice grew soft as she spoke his name but her head shook "no". Steve could see the sympathy in her eyes as she said, "I'm sorry but I don't." Maybe Loki after all was messing with him like he thought.

"You have to remember Steve, we are dealing with the God of Mischief? He's only trying to deceive you"

"I understand but-"

"He's trying to distract you by bringing up your partner, but you've got to remember Cap, he died, years ago."

Steve was tongue tied. How could she possibly know about Bucky falling to his doom all those years ago during the war? He hadn't mentioned it to anyone.

"How did you-"

"I've read your file"

Of course. He should have guessed. How much did S.H.I.E.L.D know about his past? How much did they know about the people he spent his time with? Did they know about Peggy as well? His head began to race with thoughts. Nothing made much sense anyone...well nothing made sense in this time period anyway but this simply topped off the cake.

"Is there anything else Loki told you?"

He guessed the question had something to do with that agent who had been compromised. Agent Barton.

When Steve told her "no" that was the end of it. She left in a hurry and little did Steve know she was heading over to do her own interrogation on the captive Prince of Asgard.

When Natasha tiptoed into the room she saw him. Loki, Prince of Asgard was pacing in his glass chamber. He hadn't seemed to notice her slip into the room. He continued to prance through his quarters until he stopped. The back of his head rose to an acute angle before he turned slowly. He had finally noticed her presence.

"There's not many people who can sneak up on me." he spoke in the most gentlest form. The grandest smile plastered upon his face.

"But you figured I would come."

Natasha grounded herself in front of the glass, her arms to her sides as she eyed her prey. Loki however, wasn't afraid. He was the predator after all, and was ready to bit anything that came at him.

Loki inched toward the Russian woman with grace. She wasn't scared.

"Well, with all the dirty secrets I told the captain I would be disappointed if you didn't." a tone of edge was in his voice yet he stayed afloat in such control it was a wonder if the man ever lost his cool.

Natasha was tired of his game however just like everyone else on that ship.

"What have you done to Agent Barton?"

"Getting straight down to business I see."

Loki studied the woman. A sting of annoyance appeared on her face. The game was all he need. Hell.

"So why _don't_ you tell him his old comrade is still alive?"

"I'm the one asking the questions here Loki."

Loki's face light in delight. The smile on his face grew larger. He was getting a kick out of this one and seemed to have figured everything out himself.

"So you're protecting him."

Natasha crossed her arms, the light captivating his red hair. A streak f annoyance flashed upon her face.

"The Captain doesn't need protection."

Loki chuckled.

"I was talking about Barnes." Still, she was unresponsive by the comments made about James. "Is this love Agent Romanoff, or is that spot taken by Agent Barton?" Loki teased.

"I own Clint a debt."

"Then tell me." Loki paced himself to the seat that occupied the glass fortress he was held captive in. He never for a second laid his eyes off the red head as he took that seat and she began the story.


End file.
